1. Field of the Invention
Pressed power products are an important class of cosmetics which find application in a plurality of cosmetic uses. Such very important cosmetic products as eyeshadow, eyeliner, blush, cake mascara, face powder and the like are packaged exclusively or alternatively as pressed powders. Many of these pressed powder products come in matte and high luster finishes. In many cases it is desirable to include both types of powders in a single product package in order to maximize beauty enhancement of the cosmetic product. For instance, eyeshadow products oftentimes includes at least two pans, one which holds at least one matte or "cream" shade and the other at least one high luster or "frost" shade.
A major problem associated with the production of pressed powder cosmetic products in the prior art has been the inability to dispose cream and frost pressed powder compositions in the same pan, tray or container. This inability is due to the fact that pressed powders are formed by the imposition of pressure which transforms loose powder compositions into pressed powder compositions. Since powder in a single pan, the term used for a container in the cosmetic arts, is formed into a unitary solid by the imposition of a fixed pressure, cream and frost pressed power compositions, which have different constituencies, could not be disposed in the same pan. This was because a single pressure could not be used to successfully compact cream and frost pressed powder compositions.
This problem, which prevents the manufacture of pressed powder cosmetic products in which cream and frost pressed powders are disposed in the same pan, represents a major marketing failing. The placing of both cream and frost pressed powder compositions in the same cosmetic pan is not only more attractive to consumers but better displays the advantages to be obtained by the user than is obtained by the disposition of the two compositions in separate pans. By placing cream and frost pressed powder compositions adjacent to each other, the user is better informed of the advantages to be obtained by applying the two classes of pressed powder composition to the skin, especially the face, to provide maximum beauty enhancement.
Another area of continual research in the pressed powder cosmetic product arts is the devlopment of products providing improved moisturization, emolliency and smoothness. These properties are oftentimes sacrificed in order to enhance the beautifying effects of these cosmetics. Clearly, a new class of pressed powder cosmetic products which provide these beneficial effects to the user's skin without sacrificing beauty enhancement is much desired in the art.
2. Background of the Prior Art
The problems associated with the production of cosmetic pressed powders have been addressed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,545 to Schlossman describes the addition of a compressing aid, added to a powdery composition, to provide a pressed powder cosmetic product characterized by good compressibility, low dusting, sufficient powder release without glazing, good adhesion, smooth surface, the absence of crumbling and a strong cake.
The compressing additive of the '545 patent is a synthetically prepared saturated hydrocarbon wax, having an average molecular formula of C.sub.48 H.sub.98, an average molecular mass of 700 and a congealing point of about 204.degree. F. The wax is sometimes coated with low viscosity esters of fatty acids or alcohols such as isopropyl myristate, lauryl acetate or ethylhexyl palmitate. Alternatively, the wax particles can be coated with a silicone fluid such as dimethylpolysiloxane, having the CTFA name dimethicone. Alternatively, instead of a lubricant, the surface of the wax can be coated with zein, a protein of corn gluten. These coatings are employed to improve the dispersal of the wax particles with pressed powder compounds. However, these coatings increase the pressure required to compress the powdery composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,074 to Miyoshi et al. teaches the coating of pigments or extender pigments, i.e., fillers, with hydrogenated lecithin or the reaction product of hydrogenated lecithin and a metal salt. The cosmetic composition, albeit, not a pressed powder, containing such coated pigments or coated extender pigments is said to provide excellent protection for the skin, resistance to wear and good water repellency.
The above brief description of representative references relevant to the present invention indicates that coatings for powders are known in the art. It also establishes that additives specially included in pressed powder compositions to improve their compressibility are also known in the art. However, the above discussion emphasizes the absence in the art of a teaching directed to a pressed powder cosmetic composition which overcomes the earlier discussed problems associated with production of frost and cream pressed powder compositions in a single pan to meet this well established need in this art.